Mwanzo 29
1 Kisha Yakobo akaendelea na safari yake na akafika katika nchi ya watu wa mashariki.
UJakhobe waseqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe wayafika elizweni labantu bempumalanga.
2 Hata alipotazama, akaona kisima kondeni, na, tazama, makundi matatu ya kondoo yalikuwa yamelala kando yake. Kwani kutoka katika hicho wangeyanywesha makundi, na jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima lilikuwa kubwa.
Wabona khonale umthombo esiqintini, kulemihlambi yezimvu emithathu ilele eduzane kwawo ngoba imihlambi yayinatha khonapho emthonjeni lowo. Ilitshe elalivale umlomo womthombo lalilikhulu.
3 Wakati makundi yote yangekusanyika pale, wachungaji wangevingirisha jiwe kutoka katika mdomo wa kisima na kuwanywesha kondoo, na kisha kurudisha jiwe juu ya mdomo wa kisima, mahali pake.
Kwakusithi yonke imihlambi ingabuthana khona, abelusi baligiqe ilitshe balisuse emlonyeni womthombo banathise izimvu. Besebelibuyisela ilitshe endaweni yalo emlonyeni womthombo.
4 Yakobo akawambia, “Ndugu zangu, ninyi mnatokea wapi?” nao wakasema, “Tunatoka Harani.”
UJakhobe wabuza abelusi wathi, “Bafowethu, livela ngaphi?” Baphendula bathi, “Sivela eHarani.”
5 Akawambia, “Mnamfahamu Labani mwana wa Nahori?” Wakasema, “Tunamfahamu.”
Wathi, “Liyamazi yini uLabhani, umzukulu kaNahori?” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo, siyamazi.”
6 Akawambia, “Je hajambo?” Wakasema, “Hajambo, na, tazama pale, Raheli binti yake anakuja na kondoo.”
UJakhobe wasebabuza wathi, “Uyaphila yini?” Bathi, “Yebo, uyaphila; nansi indodakazi yakhe uRasheli esiza lezimvu.”
7 Yakobo akasema, “Tazama, ni mchana. Siyo wakati wa kukusanya kondoo pamoja. Mnapaswa kuwanywesha kondoo na kisha mkaenda na kuwaacha wachunge.”
Wathi, “Khangelani, ilanga lilokhu lisemini; akukabi yisikhathi sokuthi imihlambi ibuthwe. Zinathiseni izimvu lezi lizibuyisele emadlelweni.”
8 Wakamwambia, “Hatuwezi kuwanywesha mpaka makundi yote yakusanyike pamoja. Ndipo wanaume watakapovingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na ndipo tutakapowanywesha kondoo.”
Baphendula bathi, “Asingeke, ize iqale iqoqane yonke imihlambi, ilitshe beselisuswa emlonyeni womthombo. Besesizinathisa-ke izimvu.”
9 Wakati bado Yakobo anaongea nao, Raheli akaja pamoja na kondoo wa babaye, kwani alikuwa akiwachunga.
Wathi elokhu esakhuluma labo uRasheli wafika lezimvu zikayise, kalokho wayengumelusi.
10 Yakobo alipomwona Raheli, binti wa Labani, kaka wa mamaye, na kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake, Yakobo akaja juu, akalivingirisha jiwe kutoka mlangoni mwa kisima, na akawanywesha kondoo wa Labani, kaka wa mama yake.
UJakhobe wathi ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabhani, umnewabo kanina esiza lezimvu zikaLabhani, wahamba wayagiqa ilitshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo wanathisa izimvu zikamalumakhe.
11 Yakobo akambusu Raheli na akalia kwa sauti.
UJakhobe wasesanga uRasheli njalo wakhala kakhulu.
12 Yakobo akamwambia Raheli kwamba alikuwa ni ndugu wa baba yake, na kwamba alikuwa mwana wa Rebeka. Kisha yeye akakimbia kumwambia baba yake.
Wayesemtshelile uRasheli ukuthi wayeyisihlobo sikayise lokuthi wayeyindodana kaRabheka. Ngakho intombi yagijima yayabikela uyise.
13 Labani aliposikia habari kuhusu Yakobo mwana wa dada yake, akaenda kukutana naye, akamkumbatia, akambusu, na kumleta nyumbani kwake. Yakobo akamwambia Labani mambo haya yote.
ULabhani wonela ukuwuzwa umbiko ngoJakhobe, indodana kadadewabo, wahle waphuthuma wayamhlangabeza. Wamgona, wamanga, wamletha ngekhaya, lapho uJakhobe amtshela khona izinto lezi.
14 Labani akamwambia, “Kwa hakika wewe ni mfupa wangu na nyama yangu.” Kisha Yakobo akakaa naye kama mwezi mmoja.
ULabhani wasesithi kuye, “Uyinyama yami legazi lami.” UJakhobe esehlale laye okwenyanga yonke,
15 Kisha Labani akamwambia Yakobo, “Je unitumikie bure kwa kuwa wewe ni ndugu yangu? Niambie, ujira wako utakuwaje?
uLabhani wathi kuye, “Kambe sekungathi ngoba uyisihlobo sami ubusungisebenzela ungaholi lutho? Akungitshele ukuthi umholo wakho ungaba yini?”
16 Basi Labani alikuwa na binti wawili. Jina la mkubwa lilikuwa ni Lea, na jina la mdogo lilikuwa Raheli.
ULabhani wayelamadodakazi amabili; ibizo lendala lalinguLeya, encinyane inguRasheli.
17 Macho ya Lea yalikuwa dhaifu, lakini Raheli alikuwa mzuri wa umbo na mwonekano.
ULeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayelesimo esibukekayo, emuhle.
18 Yakobo alimpenda Raheli, hivyo akasema, “Nitakutumikia miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli, binti yako mdogo.”
UJakhobe wezwa emthanda uRasheli wasesithi, “Ngizakusebenzela okweminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ungiphe indodakazi yakho encane uRasheli.”
19 Labani akasema, Itakuwa vema kukupa wewe, kuliko kumpa mtu mwingine. Kaa nami.”
ULabhani wathi, “Kungcono ngimuphe wena kulokuba ngimuphe enye indoda. Hlala lapha lami.”
20 Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia kwa miaka saba kwa ajili ya Raheli; nayo ilionekana kwake kama siku chache tu, kwa ajili ya upendo aliokuwa nao kwake.
UJakhobe waseyisebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze azuze uRasheli, kodwa yakhanya ingathi yizinsukwana ezimbalwa kuye ngenxa yothando kuye.
21 Kisha Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Nipe mke wangu, kwani siku zangu zimetimia - ili kwamba nimwoe!
UJakhobe wasesithi kuLabhani, “Ngipha-ke umkami. Isikhathi sami sesigcwalisekile, sengifuna ukwembatha laye.”
22 Hivyo Labani akawaalika watu wa mahali hapo na kuandaa sherehe.
Ngakho uLabhani wasenxusa bonke abantu bendawo wenza idili.
23 Wakati wa jioni, Labani akamchukua Lea binti yake mkubwa na kumleta kwa Yakobo, aliyelala naye.
Kodwa kwathi sekusihlwa, wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wamupha uJakhobe, uJakhobe wembatha laye.
24 Labani akampa mtumishi wake wakike Zilpa kuwa mjakazi wa Lea.
ULabhani waphinda wapha uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipha ukuba ibe yincekukazi yakhe.
25 Ilipofika asubuhi, tazama, kumbe ni Lea! Yakobo akamwambia Labani, “Ni nini hiki ulichonifanyia? Je sikukutumikia kwa ajili ya Raheli? Kwa nini basi umenihadaa?
Kwathi sokusile, wabona kunguLeya! UJakhobe wathi kuLabhani, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kimi? Mina ngasebenzela uRasheli, kakunjalo na? Kungani ungikhohlisile?”
26 Labani akamwambia, “Siyo utamaduni wetu kumtoa bindi mdogo kabla ya mzaliwa wa kwanza.
ULabhani waphendula wathi, “Kakusiwo mkhuba wethu lapha ukwendisa indodakazi encane endala ingakendi.
27 Timiza juma la bibi arusi, na tutakupa yule mwingine pia kwa mbadala wa kunitumikia miaka mingine saba.”
Qeda iviki yokucola lo omdala; besesikupha lalo omncane njalo ngemva kokumsebenzela eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
28 Yakobo akafanya hivyo, na akatimiza juma la Lea. Kisha Labani akampa Raheli binti yake kuwa mke wake.
UJakhobe wenza njalo. Waqeda iviki eloLeya, uLabhani wasemupha indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuba ibe ngumkakhe.
29 Lakini pia Labani akampa Raheli binti yake Bilha, kuwa mjakazi wake.
ULabhani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRasheli incekukazi yakhe uBhiliha ukuba abe yincekukazi yakhe.
30 Hivyo Yakobo akalala na Raheli, pia, lakini akampenda Raheli zaidi ya Lea. Hivyo Yakobo akamtumikia Labani kwa miaka saba mingine.
UJakhobe waselala loRasheli, wamthanda ukwedlula uLeya. Wasesebenzela uLabhani okweminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa njalo.
31 Yahwe akaona kwamba Lea hakupendwa, hivyo akalifungua tumbo lake, lakini Raheli hakuwa na mtoto.
UThixo wathi ngokubona ukuthi uLeya wayengathandwa, wavula inzalo yakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.
32 Lea akashika mimba na kuzaa mwana, naye akamwita Rubeni. Kwani alisema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe ameliangalia teso langu; bila shaka mme wangu sasa atanipenda.”
ULeya wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wamutha ibizo wathi nguRubheni, ngoba wathi, “Kungenxa yokuthi uThixo usebonile ukuhlupheka kwami. Ngempela umkami usezangithanda manje.”
33 Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Kwa sababu Yahwe amesikia kwamba sipendwi, kwa hiyo amenipa mwana mwingine,” na akamwita Simoni.
Wathatha isisu njalo, wathi esephinde umfana njalo wathi, “Ngoba uThixo wezwa ukuthi kangithandwa, wanginika lo njalo.” Ngakho wamutha wathi nguSimiyoni.
34 Kisha akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu mme wangu ataungana nami, kwa kuwa nimemzalia wana watatu.” Kwa hiyo akaitwa Lawi.
Wasithatha njalo isisu, kwathi esezele omunye umfana wathi, “Khathesi-ke umkami usezabambelela kimi ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.” Yikho wathiwa nguLevi.
35 Akashika mimba tena na kuzaa mwana. Akasema, “Wakati huu nitamsifu Yahwe.” Kwa hiyo akamwita jina lake Yuda; kisha akaacha kuzaa watoto.
Waphinda wasithatha isisu, wazuza umfana wathi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa uThixo.” Wamutha wathi nguJuda. Wasesima ukuzuza abantwana.
